US Airways CEO reassures senator about NC hub

Tuesday

Jun 25, 2013 at 12:01 AMJun 25, 2013 at 7:45 PM

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan's office said Tuesday that US Airways Chief Executive Doug Parker sent her a letter with assurances that Charlotte wouldn't lose its hub status in the airline's merger with American Airlines.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan’s office said Tuesday that US Airways Chief Executive Doug Parker sent her a letter with assurances that Charlotte wouldn’t lose its hub status in the airline’s merger with American Airlines.

A Government Accountability Office report last week said the merged carrier might shift flights from Charlotte Douglas International to other hub cities, especially Miami.

US Airways and American have said they are committed to maintaining existing hubs after the merger. The combined carrier would have nine, more than any other airline.

Parker, who will be CEO of the combined company, wrote to Hagan, a North Carolina Democrat, that Miami would not replace Charlotte in the network.

“Quite simply, that statement has no basis in fact. Miami is a strong local market and a fabulous gateway to Latin America,” Parker wrote. “But there is no way it could replace our Charlotte hub with its ideal geographic location, strong local market, excellent infrastructure and competitive costs.”

Charlotte Douglas is US Airways’ busiest hub. The airline operates almost 650 daily flights to and from Charlotte. Miami is currently one of American’s five hubs.

“I am pleased to once again hear from CEO Doug Parker that Charlotte will play a key role in the new American Airlines,” Hagan said in a statement.